Bench (Build or Buy)

[Greg Hairston]

I am looking at getting a new bench for my shop. I have had numerous time when I grab a plan or chisel I wished I had a nice sturdy bench to work on. I am looking for opinions on building or buying. My choices for purchase are one of the Difenbach benchs or the SJÖBERGS Ultimate woodworking bench.
Either one will be purchased without the cabinets.

Looking for suggestions


Greg

[Maurice Ungaro]

Build it! You wll learn a lot, and will appreciate it more. Do a search on this site, for there have been a few threads on building benches.

One thought, if you want to purchase the top and have a Lumber Liquidators near you, they are selling "butcher block" counter tops in 8' x 25" sections for $185. Not bad for a hardwood top.

For what it's worth, I built mine from scratch, and it only took me a week of working a few hours a night, and then on the weekends.

Maurice

[Tom LaRussa]

One thought, if you want to purchase the top and have a Lumber Liquidators near you, they are selling "butcher block" counter tops in 8' x 25" sections for $185. Not bad for a hardwood top.
Speaking of Lumber Liquidators, did you see this?

I'm thinking it's probably all thin & narrow, but maybe decent for drawer fronts and the like.

What do you think?



<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=750 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD noWrap bgColor=#f3e54a colSpan=3><CENTER>Miscellaneous
</CENTER></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD width=444>Woodworkers Hardwood Pack
Over 300 board feet of hardwood boards. Mostly exotics! May have splits / rough pcs. A GREAT DEAL at $99! Item P/U at store or we can ship any where
http://www.lumberliquidators.com/images/wood_bundle.jpg



http://www.lumberliquidators.com/misc.html



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Code: WOOD
</TD><TD width=155>
$99 pack
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Dan Moening]

The $99 pack is "pallet wood". Rough 4 sides, not skinny flooring stuff, prolly ~4/4. Its a special order. They take all the pallets that their flooring packages come in on, dismantle them and sell it in these packs. Still, 300bf of exotics...its tempting :D

Also the butcher block counter tops are no more than 1.25" thick. Not a deal breaker but thought y'all should know.

[Terry Hatfield]

Greg,

I vote for build it!!!! Why not? It's a great experience and one that you will certainly learn from. I learned a ton when I built mine. Very gratifying to build a bench. I throughly enjoyed the process and I certainly enjoy working on it. I'm enjoying it even more now that I have a few tools without tails. :)

Terry

[Chris Padilla]

Build it, buy it...it is a tough decision. I'm constantly back and forth. Do you have time to build it? Do you have the money to buy one? Do you want something really, really nice (big bucks) or is a low-buck bench more for you right now? Do you need a custom size fit to a custom space?

I need a custom size fitted to a specific space so I think odds are good I will build mine but we'll see. Lie-Nielsen will make a custom-sized one for you for $1800. Veritas/Lee Valley has a nice bench, too. Do a search under the Power Tool/General Forum...I had a long thread on it complete with pics.

[John Dingman]

Greg,

Build your own. I know it's easier to buy it, but you use so many wood working skills that you will need for future projects. This is the one I am in the process of building:

http://www.terraclavis.com/bws/fullview2.jpg

And this is how far I am with it right now:

http://www.johnswoodshop.us/Images/WB%20Project%208-13-2004%20001.jpg

It's a fun project!

John

[Joe Mioux]

Build it, I built mine, still not finished with it but ..... it is an enjoyable and educational project. I probably will build another one this year.

There are lot of good websites out there that give really good descriptions on how to buile a work bench.

[Michael Perata]

Greg

I built mine last year and it was a very good experience.

Now I am in the process of flattening out the top because of wood movement.

Wood movement is a problem you will always have if you build and sometimes if you buy. But then it gives you the chance to buy another plane to flatten the table top and we are in the Neandertal Haven, right.

[Greg Hairston]

Thanks all,
I am going to build it. I have a small bench I can work on until I get the new one built. Guess I will put the money into wood for the bench. I think the wife will appreciate that more also.

Greg

[Alan Turner]

Grteg,
I am in the build it yourself camp. Get the Scott Landis book, plan it carefully, esp. for the vice types and placement therof, buy the vices, and then build the base first and you will have a convenient place to build the top. It will give you much pleasure for many years.
Alan

[Terry Hatfield]

Grteg,
I am in the build it yourself camp. Get the Scott Landis book, plan it carefully, esp. for the vice types and placement therof, buy the vices, and then build the base first and you will have a convenient place to build the top. It will give you much pleasure for many years.
Alan

Yes, agree...agree. Excellent advice Alan!!

t

[Steve Kubien]

As has been mentioned, build the base first! A lot of plans I have seen always talk about the top first, thern the base then the vises. Bullocks. As mentioned, the base gives you a place to work on the top.

Early in the new year, I am going to embark on BENCH #2. Model #1 isn't long enough (6ft). I am going ther route of Adam Cherubini and this one will not have any vises. I'll use planing stops and holdfasts. Time will tell if I am happy with this arrangement. Rest assured, I will build it so vises can be added it I choose to.

Kindest regards,

Steve Kubien

[Alan Turner]

Greg,
Just a further note about the planing stage, and the reasons to acquire first the hardware. You will not want your legs to interfere with any clamping operations, which can easily happen if you get a bit sleepy.
Alan

[Dave Anderson NH]

Everyone here has assumed and recommended that you're going to end up making your own bench. I thinking making one is the best and cheapest way to go to get exactly waht you want. In case you don't decide to make one however, a couple of comments. I would stay away from the Sjobergs. The legs are undersized in most models, and the framework would be likely to rack under heavy hand planing and mortise chopping. Most importantly however, the vises and their hardware is severely undersized and fit to very loose tolerances. Go into one of the stores carrying them and open one of the vises about 3". Grab a hold of the outer jaw with a strong grip in your dominant hand. Lift and shake it a bit. You will notice how things move quite a bit and that everything shimmies. This signals the machining of the vises to a loose tolerance, that the guide rods aren't of adequate size, and that you will have a lot of jaw racking problems down the road. As an asie, the jaws aren't deep enough for lots of applications.


A friend of mine runs a woodworking school and has a few of the Deifenbacher benches. They have stood up to heavy class use quite well for over 3 years now. Remember that they can also be special ordered in a left hander version. Another choice is the Ulmia benches which are back on the market and have always been excellant. Garrett Wade carries them.

Normal disclaimers apply- I'm affiliated with none of the vendors I've mentioned.